Reactions: Fear Her
Fear Her, brought to you by the letters S and X and the numbers 6 and 9. Pictures courtesy of obsessive_caps.
*It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...*
No, we're not showing people with flamethrowers for any particular reason.
And now, cue the Twilight Zone theme.
Joining us now are our inexplicably psychic friend Maeve and Trish, the mother of the story's 'villain.' Note the beige shirt and black trousers. This may become important later.
*No, my child isn't creepy at all!*
Shades of Bill Mumy.
Not to mention, the book Marianne Dreams (film: Paperhouse ) - featuring not only the whole drawings coming to life/creating a world theme, but also the threatening father (which I believe is specific to the film).
Following his advertised 'Park Anywhere' policy...
This actually passes for better camouflage than he usually manages. Shame about the door.
Let the cuteness begin!
That... is a lot of hair. Well, for him anyway. I think they were sweeping as much of it to the front as possible in order to keep the back volume as similar to the other eps as possible. No, that is not the same thing as backcombing. Robert Smith of The Cure? That's backcombing.
It reminds me of Calvin on picture day, minus the Crisco corkscrew.
You know Rose is standing right behind him, sporfling into her hand while he tries to act casual.
That's better. Resume episode.
*Don't mind me, that was completely planned and on purpose. Yessir.*
I wish they'd used the Franz Ferdinand poster instead.
Yes, Rose, he's brought you to an Olympiad that by all rights you should have been able to attend and/or work at. Y'know, if either of you were thinking about you ever going your separate ways.
She may be too busy squeeing to process the exact import of this gesture. Dude might as well have handed her a ring.
He's just admitted to having visited Club Med and she still loves him.
But all is not well on Sesame Street today.
Of course, while he's nattering on about dragées and she's investigating, they are actually both paying attention to one another. It's a beautiful thing.
Missing kids and February temperatures in July. Curiouser and curiouser.
Contrast and compare with that other's shipper's favorite, TIL, where she made a similar observation early on and he kinda blew her off: he's listening now.
And he's off. Attention span of a ferret on a double espresso.
Yes, Doctor, it's your hand. *pats*
Your manly, hairy hand. Hmmmm.
As another companion later observes, he'd enjoy anything.
Rose is immediately alarmed by the car troubles, and yet none of the locals think anything of it.
She's probably helped the Doctor move heavier things many a time.
Next Christmas' toy sensation: Tickle Me Doctor.
This is now clearly on a different day from the start of the episode (note the Dad's shirt).
Ten wisely decides he'd rather not find out if this particular gentleman has a hell of a right hook.
Fast forward through some exposition by Kel (does that make it the Council's exposition?), to our merry roundhouse theater of paranoia and accusations.
Rose is taking in everythang.
I wonder what percentage of families on the street haven't had a child go missing? Trish might be feeling guilty for more than just the obvious reason in the back of her mind. But I doubt it.
*Can you believe the nerve of these people? Here I am, trying to be the voice of reason...*
The Doctor's prewatershed version of STFU!
I R SRS.
100% compliance, a thing of beauty.
Well, except for Lewis over there. The cheek.
Anyone up for a nice sequel called Kindergarten Doc?
They're lucky Maeve interrupted before he started a game of Simon Says.
The eagle eye of Rose Tyler, Girl Detective strikes again!
And Trish knows exactly what she's looking at.
*Metal. So you're not being a sniffy-nosed freak for no particular reason.*
You can tell Rose has never worked an office job - I'd describe the smell they're talking about (ozone) as the smell coming off a printer while it's running.
Just a cute drawing of a kitty. Nothing more to see here.
Trish is trying, in her way. But if Chloe's been having nightmares for a year... I mean, now that the dad's gone, wouldn't the NHS cover therapy? Or does the same gaping mental-health hole exist in the system over there like it does here in the States?
Ah, the beautiful boy.
No, she didn't mean you. You have every right to be offended.
He looks so wounded. Poor woobie Doctor!
Cats know who's in charge. And it's not you or me, let me tell ya.
The funny part is that if they'd left the cat to its own devices and just parked a camera there, it would've ended up in the box of its own accord probably sooner rather than later.
Rose has owned a cat before and she wants to know why it wants to go into a little box? Huzzuh?
Does the Doctor already sense that whatever's doing this is not doing so out of malice? He's just about fanboying at this point.
Roleplaying even when they're alone. <3.
Good thinking, Rose. Don't open it.
Or open it and have some evil pencil thing try to take your face off.
I guess it was imbued with the sentiment of anger and frustration Isolus!Chloe had when she was drawing it?
Ah, the beauty of forced perspective.
Whoa, the Doctor's configured the sonic to act as a Tissue Compression Eliminator? At distance? (Hence him sternly warning Rose not to move when he was firing.) When the frell did that happen?
*We've overcome absolutely... miniscule odds against a... rather less than fierce adver-... thingy. Let's hug anyway!*
He's obviously in casual mode, what with him using H-E-double hockey sticks and all! Kids these days!
Egon would be proud.
You so know Rose has had many a 'Here, your mucus.' moment while travelling with the Doctor.
I love that Rose took a gander at this like she's trying to learn what it means. Do you think Ten got around to trying to teach her any Gallifreyan?
Of course, if she could read it then there goes his habit of leaving his Rose Tyler Seduction Plan littered about on various Post-it Notes as though they contained harmless ramblings.
And to think they were going to take this gag out. How else do you think it was going to be obvious what it was? Grind it up, suspend it in some oil and use it to lubricate the lock on the TARDIS' front door? I don't think so.
Foreplay, New Who style.
*But Roooose, I'm supposed to use my formidable intellectual skills to get you to want to go to bed with me !*
*Oh, sod it. Up against the pillar it is, then.*
*I suppose so, but I get to pick the flavour of the whipped topping this time.*
One quick sexual encounter later...
*Fly casual, that's us.*
Congratulations. You've managed not to look like you've been freeballing Pixy Sticks this time.
She still seems less interested in letting you in than an entire brigade of Jehovah's Witnesses, though.
*I told you we should've brought the pamphlets.*
Trish figures if he can shut up all of her neighbors at one go, he might be on to something.
Sometimes all he needs is a little belief. (Not going to think about the D-word, not going to think about the D-word).
Given this buildup, the Doctor and Rose are probably expecting to head upstairs to find Chloe's head spinning.
They're very pretty when they're worried about people.
Do you think the Doctor perennially goes into these sorts of situations from the perspective of the child? I mean, he's been a father (obviously), but given the hints we've heard about his less-than-pleasant childhood I wonder.
*Yes, we're sure your demon spawn is wonderful.*
Rose at least thinks to warn him this time before pulling boosh on the locals.
He'll be happy as long as it doesn't involve any more snippets of knowledge that lead down the path of contemplating Jackie's sex life.
You know you spend too much time involved in Who meta when you ponder whether Chloe's footwear represents The Red Chucks of Loneliness, soon to be seen on a Doctor near you.
Good gravy, how many ginger cats were there in this neighborhood? Is the implication meant to be that all of these drawings represent stolen people, places, and things, or do some of them predate the Isolus' arrival?
Sorry, Chloe, clearly your dreamcatcher ain't doing its job.
If I didn't have two little furry meatloaves of my own, I'd ask why this cat just sits there staring off into space. I personally think it would've been very cute to see it start grooming itself, but I guess they thought that would be too subtle.
Here we go with the mirroring postures again!
He didn't even get an eyeroll out of Chloe with this one. Clearly, his mojo has failed him.
Rose has evidently forgotten what happens when she opens the door on one of these racket-making drawing-creature things.
Even the people in the drawings in the background are kirking out. This can't be good. (Nice touch, by the way, to cover for the complete lack of effects budget at this point in the filming.)
Anyone willing to bet the main drawing was just on a piece of paper taped to the closet wall and the Mill's only work was the glowing eyes?
Is Ten really upset Chloe's ditching them, or worried he's not bought Rose enough snooping time?
Between that shriek and coming in to the sight of her being sucked into the closet, I'd be worried too. I was surprised we didn't get a hug out of this one. Maybe Trish interrupted the plan.
And again, a nice cover for not wanting to use another effects shot. From a character perspective, I've considered whether Ten assumes that if his stalwart Rose almost got sucked in by that thing, whether he mightn't be every bit as vulnerable.
The people in the background are all still freaking out!
I was surprised he neither licked nor smelled the paper as part of his investigation.
Denial ain't a river in Egypt, Trish.
The Isolus clearly recognizes the Doctor as a threat, even before Chloe's nap time.
If I didn't know they'd played lovers in Casanova, I'd never have known it from here. Nina Sosanya and DT did an admirable job of completely obliterating that chemistry.
A detective who roams all time and space who's willing to work for the same wages as the average 6-year old child.
He looks so bloody serious when he's doing this, too. Like he's about to have some of his thinking jam.
*Wot?*
*Ixnay on the amjay! What, were you raised in some space barn?*
*If I'm gonna be in trouble anyway, might as well get two fingers in. Nyeh.*
*Okay, that wasn't intended to be nearly as obscene as that sounded. Or this looks.*
I guess when your daughter's been possessed for about a week, strange men eating your marmalade straight out of the jar is nothing.
I can't help but think of the Father Ted where Dougal ends up absolutely covered in jam from eating it right out of the pot from the fridge.
It's a little late for the subtle palm there, Doctor.
If only they had thought to do a pockets gag now. I'd have laughed my arse off if he'd slipped the jar inside his pocket only for it to effectively disappear with nary a visible bulge.
*Put the marmalade down, or no HobNobs for you when we get back to the TARDIS! Honestly!*
Can you imagine what some villainous race could do if they could persuade/control a mass of Isolus young into making whatever their twisted agenda called for?
I don't think it's just the general concept of drawings coming to life that's giving him the heebie jeebies, that's for sure.
Yes, he's being so strange he's even freaking himself out.
Now is the Isolus aware of the entire conversation that's just taken place downstairs, or has it just been biding its time?
Trust me, Trish, this is better than calling in social services.
Now to get to the bottom of this!
Possibly the only creatures in the universe more desperate for the company of their own kind than he is...
This whole scenario does lead me to question as to when in canon The Stone Rose might have taken place. Lest I spoil the book for anyone who's not read it, I'll leave anyone who has to draw their own conclusions. (badump dump)
If Ten wouldn't be the ultimate fun dad, he'd be a great cool uncle.
So what does an adult Isolus feed off of?
He knows exactly how s/he feels.
Clearly it didn't mean to do any purposeful harm, but one wonders why it couldn't content itself with essentially being Chloe's 'imaginary' friend (other than plot purposes).
The amount of empathy Rose generates could power a small city.
So, something whose arse Ten doesn't have to kick. In some ways a relief, I'm sure.
Ruh-roh, Raggy.
Since everyone in the neighborhood is staying off the street, how is it exactly that she was able to get out of the house and follow them all the way here without them hearing her and turning around?
The Doctor shouldn't have told it 'no.' Rose is right about that temper tantrum.
I love watching Ten fiddle with his Steampunk Gadget of the Week.
I'm not going to make any jokes about inserting things into other things. No Tab A into Slot B, nothing like that.
He's totally siding with the Isolus here, and as usual Rose has to argue the human point of view. Although note by this point that him taking its side doesn't mean he's just going to let it do as it pleases, much less aid and abet it.
Bwah!
If you're interested in what flavor that gum might have been...
Neither of them minds the exchange of spit. That's a comfort level.
Bombs away!
Nice casual drop there, Doc.
Now if he never told her anything, I doubt she'd be this gobsmacked. I'm sure she's thinking 'Of all the random snippets of your life I know every detail about, especially after that whole thing with Sarah-Jane, and you never bothered to tell me you had children?'
They're not telegraphing Series 3 at all here.
She's still trying to figure out how to address this without sounding petty or starting a row. Maybe being all scowly and silent will work.
He doesn't even notice she's very much Not Smiling.
But she cannot resist the power of the goof for long!
*Here I come to save the daaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy...*
I'm guessing, given the artistic skill with which the Isolus' mother was drawn, that it was the sole artist in that instance, but it's usually actually Chloe who's doing the drawing.
He needs to start making this stuff out of less breakable materials.
I don't even know it's so much that he's disappeared...
...but that the TARDIS is gone as well. Yikes!
Rose is done playing.
Trish doesn't listen so good sometimes.
Under other circumstances this might be going onto the TARDIS' fridge.
Rose's efforts to remain calm despite her obvious panic are admirable.
Kel to the rescue!
She looks way too happy about having that pickaxe.
I'm guessing pothole repair crews aren't given jackhammers in the UK?
That thing looks like it came out of a gumball machine.
No wonder Kel thinks she's gone round the bend.
Interesting that the Isolus took the Doctor before trying this.
What's even more interesting is that it seems like the disappearing doesn't happen until the Isolus/Chloe makes a conscious decision that the drawing is complete.
Trish again with the not listening. Oy!
That must've taken scads of energy. One wonders why the pilotfish didn't come sniffing around this phenomenon!
Kel, welcome to the world of the Doctor. He's got Weirdness Magnet at about 25.
Now why would you think your commentators were still there if everyone else had gone? What, this was some unannounced stunt by David Copperfield?
That still doesn't look like any 100,000 people, but whatevah.
Insert your obligatory The Shining joke here.
If the drawing had been completed, would the Isolus really have nabbed the entire world, or just the bits it had seen in the picture in the book?
The Doctor wouldn't be drawing the torch, per se, but rather creating one himself out of the Isolus' ionic energy? Have I got that right, or did he just borrow one of the extra ones from some stadium staffer who's now trapped alongside him?
Rose Tyler, ready to make it happen.
The policeman is understandably less than sanguine at the prospect of some crazy-looking bystander accosting the torchbearer.
So does the pod have a separate consciousness, kinda like the Vorlon ships in Babylon 5?
Poor Chloe, ditched again.
I don't think Kel really cares that he doesn't quite know what's going on. He's just gotten a big hug from Rose and that's sufficient.
Shades of the end of TIL, except now the shoe's on the other foot.
I think they could've come up with a better explanation for why/how drawing!Dad would come to life. After all, everyone/everything else that was returned to existence was merely whisked away and held.
If the drawing!Dad could be vanquished by calm and/or happiness, did Rose stomping up and freaking them out exacerbate the initial problem?
But never mind all that. It dissipated pretty quickly.
Now Rose perfectly encapsulates the problems Ten will have going forward in Series 3.
It's not just a question of whether he'll have anyone to hold his hand...
But rather who it will be.
At this point she may be assuming the Doctor had to make some sort of sacrifice from his side to return all these people.
Still not really sure why the runner collapsed. Maybe if they'd shown the torch smacking him in the face when the pod hit it earlier...
Legs like pipecleaners, eh? Bloody showoff. :D
Perhaps the only thing more rawk than being on the stage at Wembley.
I swear the Isolus could get itself home on Ten's enthusiasm alone!
Once again wandering aimlessly without his Rose.
Don't look now...
...but you're about to be caked!
He's normally a pie sort of man, but since this came from Rose he'll make an exception. Besides, it's still unusually cold out - he needs the calories! TRUFAX.
See, you both listen to each other blathering on!
I miss Ten squee.
I love dragées too, even if some jurisdictions in the States consider them to not be food or disallow them altogether.
This is indeed a well-earned hug.
If he didn't have a mouthful of cake I swear he'd have snogged her right there. He was certainly thinking about it.
And perhaps rather more than that if you take one of RTD's interviews at face value, where he apparently stated that part of his intent with Fear Her was to show that the Doctor had clearly been heavily considering and finally came to the decision to pursue a physical relationship with Rose.
The Doctor and Rose - 1, Personal Space - 0
I'm sure the Doctor heard the equivalent of 'never ever' far too many times out of the mouths of his fellow Time Lords when it came to the outcome of the Time War.
A lovely municipal display, if awfully low. Maybe it's a Class C launcher.
What suddenly triggered the Doctor's dark moment here? He went from full-on squee to dread in 2 seconds flat.
If only snuggling closer could keep what's coming away. Soon we'll know why the Bad Wolf cried.
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Could they not. Have just given us. One. Little. Kiss.
Still waiting impatiently for Ten and Rose to get their Princess Bride moment,
Love,
principia_coh